Scenery system



June 3, 1969 DAVIDSON 3,447,274

SCENERY SYSTEM Filed June 14, 1967 United States Patent O 3,447,274 SCENERY SYSTEM Louis Davidson, 24 Waterview Road, Oceanside, N.Y. 11572 Filed June 14, 1967, Ser. No. 645,904 Int. Cl. E06b 7/00; G09f 7/18, 19/22 U.S. Cl. 52-173 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This specification discloses improved apparatus for assembling large scenery pictures, with or without a partition having openings through which the scenery is viewed. The scenery is made up of modular picture panels that are assembled into a continuous picture by connectors that hold the panels straight and with a minimum of interference with the visibility of the scene. The parts of the connectors that extend over the fronts of the edges of the panels are preferably transparent so as not to hide those areas. Space is provided behind the picture for the storage of other modular panels that can be substituted for those in the picture to obtain a change of scene. The specification discloses a partition in front of and spaced from the continuous picture of an outdoor scene with windows and/or doors through which the outside scene can be viewed. Other features relate to the holders for the panels including those in storage; the latter fitting into the channels that keep the panels out of Contact with one another for protection when stored.

Brief description of the invention This invention is for the purpose of creating an outdoor atmosphere in a room by assembling large color pictures of summer gardens or winter scenes of substantially the full height of the room and for widths of twelve feet or larger. The pictures are made up of modular panels about four feet wide with the edges assembled close together.

The invention provides means for holding the panels in place and for preventing lateral displacement caused by any bending of the panels. By using channel-holding means on the floor, and other vertical channels that receive the vertical edges of the panels, it is practical to use panels of less stiffness. In the preferred construction, the portions of the vertical channels which extend over the front surfaces of the edge portions of the channels are made transparent so as to interfere as little as possible with the visibility of the picture.

One feature of the invention is in providing for changes in scene. Unlike murals, which remain the same at all times, the assembled panel construction of this invention makes practical the replacement of panels; and provision is made for storage space for the additional panels in a space behind the assembled panels that make up the continuous picture. Channels are provided for connection with the iioor in the storage space for holding the stored panels with their surfaces out of contact with one another.

A exible panel on a roller, preferably a horizontal roller, can be used for getting a change of scenery. Also the invention is made in a modified form with a partition of modular panels in front of and spaced from the outdoor picture, and this partition has a window, door, or other optical openings through which the outdoor picture can be seen. The partition may include ornamental room features such as a mantle and a fireplace.

More realistic effects are obtained by bright lighting with lights having reflectors and directed toward the picture. When there is a partition in front of and spaced from the picture, the light is applied to the picture from behind the partition so that the reflected light from the picture comes into the room through the optical openings 3,447,274 Patented June 3, 1969 of the door or window to produce the effect of light from outdoors.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear or be pointed out as the description proceeds.

Brief description of the drawing In the drawing, forming a part hereof, in which like reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all the views:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of a garden scene made up of modular panels connected together to form a continuous picture;

lFIGURE 2 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary sectional view through the construction shown in FIGURE l;

. FIGURE 2A is a fragmentary sectional view showing a modification of a part of the structure of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 3 is a greatly enlarged sectional View through the connectors between successive panels of the picture shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGUR'E 3 but showing a modified form of the invention;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional View taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 but showing a modied form of the invention, the section being taken on the line 6 6 of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 7 is a front View of the modified form of the invention shown in FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line l8 8 of FIGURE 6.

Detailed description of the invention FIGURES l and 5 show a continuous picture 10 which is made up of three modular panels *11, 1 2 and 13. These panels are held in place in their lower ends by a channel 16 which is preferably attached to the floor of the room in which the panels are used. Other means for holding the bottom edges of the panels 11-13 can be used but the channel `16 has the advantage of holding the bottom edges of the panels fiat and against bending or warping.

The panels 11 and 12 lit into vertical edge guides 21 and 22, respectively. These edge guides have channels 24 with a fore-and-aft thickness sucient to receive the edge portions of the panels 11 and 12. The panels preferably fit into the channels 24 closely enough so that the channels serve to hold the vertical edge portions of the panels against bending or warping and this provision for holding the edges of the panels in stiif guide means throughout substantially the entire length of the panel edges make practical the use of panel materials of less stiffness than would otherwise be necessary.

The picture panels 11-13 may be made of corrugated paper board, plywood, plastic board or other inexpensive sheet material. The pictures can be printed directly on the stiff material of the panels or can be printed on ilexible material which is Abonded t-o the panels to obtain the necessary stiffness. For some purposes, flexible panels, preferably rolled on a horizontal roller, can be used with this invention, as will be explained later in connection with FIGURE 2A.

'I'he portions of the vertical edge guides 21 and 22, which extend vertically from oor to ceiling of the panels near the edges of the panels, are preferably made of transparent material such as plastic so as to interfere as little as possible with the visibility of the picture. In the pre ferred construction, the entire vertical edge guides 21 and 22 are made of plastic, so as to use a one-piece construction.

The panels 12 and 13 are connected together by a vertical edge guide 30 which is the same as the edge guides 21 and 22 except that it is constructed with chan nels on both sides and the panel 12 extends into the channel on one side while the panel 13 extends into the channel on the other side. Thus the vertical edge guide 30 has channels extending in both directions from a center web 32, whereas each of the edge guides 21 and 22 has channels extending in one direction only.

In FIGURE 1 the ceiling of the room is represented by the reference character 34 and the floor of the room is represented by the refernce character 36. The channel 16 is attached to the floor by fastening means 38, as shown in FIGURE 2.

The panels 11, 12 and 13 are located in front of a wall 40 (FIGURE 5) and are generally parallel to and spaced some distance in front of the wall 40. There is a window 42 in the wall 40. This window may be opened for ventilation if the room is not air-conditioned, but in the illustrated construction, the continuous picture formed by the panels 11, 12 and 13 is placed across the window 42 so as to obtain a large picture.

The continuous picture shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 can be as long as desired Within the space available in the room, and a portion of a fourth panel 44 is shown in FIGURES 1 and 5. It is desirable, however, not to have the continuous picture extend all the way to both of the end walls 46 and 48 of the room. In order to utilize the storage space behind the panels 11-13 and 44, space is left at one or both ends of the picture and a curtain 50 is hung over the space. Either curtain 50 or a rigid panel can be pulled back in order for a person to gain access to the space behind the panels. The curtains or drapes 50 can be constructed so that they can be pulled across the entire width of the picture, if desired.

A- plurality of substitute panels 54 are shown stored in the space behind one of the curtains 50, or can be stored behind the panels. These substitute panels can be used to replace the panels 11-13 and 44 when a change in scene is desired. The substitute panels 54 are preferably of the same size as the panels 11-13 and 44. Where the space behind the curtain 50 is narrower than the length of a panel 54, the substitute panels can be stored with a portion of their width extending behind the panel 11.

In addition to storing the panels 54 at a location such as shown in FIGURE 5, and preferably with means for holding the lower ends of the panels, as will be explained in connection with FIGURE 8, the substitute panels can also be stored directly behind the continuous picture panels 11-13 and 44. For example: the vertical edge guides 21, 22 and 30 have a plurality of vertical channels in addition to the most forward channels in which the continuous picture panels are held. The substitute panels can be placed in these additional channels of the vertical edge guides. This provides a means for holding the substitute panels with their edges braced against bending, and the panels can be protected during shipment 'by placing up to four panels in closely-spaced parallel relation to one another with their edges in the channels of the guide 21 or 22.

Access to the rearward substitute panels 54 can be obtained easily by pulling off the vertical edge guide of an endmost panel of the continuous picture. This makes it then possible to remove the forward panel and any other panels behind it in order to gain access to a desired panel which is to be substituted for the forward panel. It will be understood that the vertical edge guides are not connected to the bottom channel 16 or to any other xed supports. The bottom channel 16, and a corresponding top channel 56 (FIGURE 2), prevent fore-and-aft lateral displacement of the vertical edge guides 21, 22 and 30 but do not prevent movement of these edge guides in a direction in the plane of the picture.

The upper guide channel 56 is attached to the ceiling 34 by fastening means 58. Lights 60 for brightly illuminating the panels 11-13 and 44, are provided with reflectors 61 which direct the light toward the picture panels but do not permit any of the light to be thrown back toward the observer. These lights may be located near the ceiling 34 and' there are preferably enough lights 60 at spaced locations across the Width of the picture to obtain uniform illumination.

FIGURE 2 shows one of the curtains 50 with a supporting pole 64 attached to the front of the upper guide channel 56; and there is a valance 66 for concealing the curtain rod. A second pole 64 is provided for the curtain 50 at the other side of the picture so that the curtains can have their edges pass one another when used as drapes for the full width of the picture; or the second pole 64 can be used for hanging a moving picture screen.

For some purposes, scenery can be provided on a exible curtain 68 which winds up on an overhead horizontal roller 70 located in a supporting channel 72 attached to the ceiling 34. In special circumstances, the roller 70 can be a vertical roller, but horizontal rollers are more convenient.

FIGURE 6 shows a modified construction with a building wall made up of blocks 82 and a plaster wall 84 rred out from the block wall by rring strips 86. A group of picture panels 11', 12 and 13 is generally parallel to the wall 84 and spaced a slight distance from the wall. The panels 11'13' are preferably of the same construction as the panels 11-13 previously described, and they have vertical edge guides 21', 22' and 30' which are of a construction similar to the edge guides 21, 22 and 30, previously described.

A partition is located in front of the continuous picture formed by the panels 11'13'. This partition 90 is made up of panels 91-95 which are of modular construction similar to the picture panels previously described and with Vertical edge guides 21', 22 and 30.

The panels 9195 represent an inside wall of a building and they have optical openings, such as transparent windows and door panels through which the outdoor scene on the panels 11'-13' can be viewed.

FIGURE 7 shows a window 98 in the panel 92 and a similar window 98 in the panel 94. The panel 11' is visible through the left-hand window 98 and the panel 13' is visible through the right-hand window 98. A curtain or drape 50 can be used on one or both of the windows 98.

To provide additional ornamentation in the room, the middle panel 93 is constructed with an artificial fireplace 100 and with a mantle 102 supported by columns 104 on opposite sides of the fireplace 100. A picture 106 is shown over the mantle 102. The replace panel 93 can be of composite construction with three or four sections so that when disassembled, it can be stored flat. The sections can be paper board, corrugated paper, plastic, wood, or combinations of these.

Because of the fact that there are two spaced lines of panels in the constructions shown in FIGURES 6 and 7, the rearward panels 1113 are located close to the wall so as to reduce the amount of space taken from the room. All of the space for the storage of additional panels 54 is behind the partition 90 at locations where the stored substitute panels 54 are not visible through the windows 98. Lights 108 with reectors to limit the lighting to the panels 11'13, are also located behind the partition 90. These lights illuminate the outdoor scene brightly and cause brightly and cause the room to be lighted by light coming in through the windows, as with real outdoor windows.

The substitute panels 54 can be stored loose or they can be held in position when stored. FIGURE 8 shows a channel support 112 attached to the oor 36 and provided with parallel channels into which the lower ends of substitute panels 54 extend. The sides of the channels between the channel depressions are of a width to hold the panels 54 out of contact with one another while in storage.

What is claimed is:

1. A composite picture including frame structure adapted to -be secured to a support, said frame structure comprising vertically extending channel-shaped holding means with transparent edge portions that overlie portions of front surfaces of removable panels and through which the continuous picture is visible, a plurality of said removable panels, each of which contains a portion of the composite picture, edges of the panels being mounted in the channel-shaped holding means, in sufliciently close relation to each other so as to form a continuous picture, and so as to prevent lateral displacement of said panels.

2. The composite picture described in claim 1 characterized by the channel-shaped holding means having portions extending rearwardly beyond the parts that hold the panels to stiien the structure laterally and to increase the strength of the channel-shaped holding means for supporting Vertical loads.

3. The composite picture described in claim 1 characterized by said composite picture including representations of windows, and scenic panels behind the window secured in fixed relation to said composite picture and in position to be viewed through the windows.

4. The composite picture described in claim 1 characterized by the channel-shaped holding means comprising an integral structure of vertically-extending iins connected to a web and spaced from and parallel to one another so as to form front channels for receiving the edges of the picture panels, and the structure including also other channels behind the front panel-receiving channels.

5. The combination described in claim 1 characterized by the panel holding means being located in a room and spaced from a wall of the room, the picture panels that make the continuous picture facing away from said wall, and the space between the wall and the picture panels that make the continuous picture being large enough for storage of other similar picture panels.

6. The combination described in claim 5 characterized by the continuous picture being spaced from a side of the room, and the continuous picture being spaced from at least one end wall of the room by a distance suflicient for passage of panels between the part of the room in front of the picture and said space between the side wall and the panel.

7. The combination described in claim 1 characterized by other panels located generally parallel to but spaced from the iirst picture panels, said other panels forming a partition with a window therein through which are visible portions of the continuous picture formed by the iirst panels.

8. The combination described in claim 7 characterized by the other panels including enough opaque area to shield a storage space between the first picture panels and said other panels large enough to store a group of substitute picture panels for use when the scene visible through the window is to be changed.

9. The combination described in claim 1 characterized by the panel holding means including a channel for connection with the oor of a room, the channel being of a ore-and-aft width to receive the lower ends of adjacent panels for holding them in a common plane.

10. The combination described in claim 9 characterized by the vertically extending channel-shaped holding means including a plurality of other parallel channelshaped holding means behind the lirst channel-shaped holding means and of a fore-and-aft width to receive the edges of panels of the composite picture, said plurality of parallel channel-shaped holding means being used to receive the edge portions of additional and substitute picture panels that are stored behind the continuous picture panels.

11. The combination described in claim 1 characterized by lights at spaced locations across the continuous picture and spaced ahead of the picture for illuminating it, space beyond the continuous picture at one end thereof, a curtain hanging over said end of the picture and beyond the picture and affording access to space behind the continuous picture, and means in said space for holding a group of additional picture panels stored in spaced relation to one another.

12. The combination described in claim 11 characterized by the means for holding the additional picture panels including parallel channels for attachment to a floor and with the channels of a fore-and-aft width to receive the bottom edges of the additional picture panels of the same modular size and of the same thickness as the continuous picture panels, the depressions of the channels for attachment to the iioor being spaced by intervening walls of a thickness to prevent the stored additional panels from being in contact with one another while so stored.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 260,559 7/1882 Fowler 161-5 XR 353,780 12/1886 Daniels 161-7 XR 1,767,081 6/1930 Korber 161-37 1,802,102 4/ 1931 Ziegler et al. 2,161,130 6/1939 Burchenal. 2,388,297 11/ 1945 Slaughter. 2,515,664 7/ 1950 Padgett 40-64 2,5 42,5 81 2/ 1951 Schreflier. 2,565,553 8/1951 Foley 161-17 2,682,727 7/1954 Keljik 161-18 XR FOREIGN PATENTS 878,247 10/ 1942 France. 933,554 1/1948 France.

ROBERT F. BURNETT, Primary Examiner. W. A. POWELL, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 

